


Space Race

by ATiredDwarf



Category: Original Work
Genre: Enemies to Friends to Lovers, M/M, One sided, Rating May Change, Science Fair, Senior Project, Tags to be added, highschool
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-29
Updated: 2020-02-29
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:41:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22947994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ATiredDwarf/pseuds/ATiredDwarf
Summary: Being assigned astronomy as a senior project is hard for Paul. It takes his friend to point out a flier for a science fair. He signed up for easy log entries since he doesn’t have to win to have it finish his project.It wasn’t until he saw someone with his same theme, but better that made Paul want to at least beat him.
Relationships: Original Male Character/Original Male Character
Kudos: 1





	Space Race

The last few weeks of the summer before senior year was as expected. The first couple weeks of school however was so much more work than Paul expected. Well, his English teacher who was giving him essays on essays on top of her pulling his senior project. She had a ‘If you choose it, it won't be a challenge,’ attitude which pissed Paul off. If it was anything aside from stupid astronomy he would have been content. Especially since the person next to him got ‘try a sport’- hell the one behind him got ‘be on stage for a play’ which he would have taken over astronomy. 

What the hell do you write about astronomy? ‘Space is big. It has stars. The sun is a star.’ Oh good one brain not like everyone knows that. 

A loud groan passed his lips as he fell back onto the grass, making all of his group of three friends raise an eyebrow.

“Whatever girl this is it aint worth it.”

“Fuck off.” Was the best remark he could come up with. It followed with another groan. “It’s the stupid senior project.” 

It followed with two of the three laughing. “You’re gonna complain when Barry got ballet?”

“At least you can do ballet Martin! You can’t do astronomy.”

“You haven’t tried hard enough.”

“Fuck. Off. Martin.” A simple response made the other three laugh again. “You got what? Farming?”

“Ranching.” Martin grinned. “Apparently Ms. Bitch said I should, ‘Spend less time on my hair and more time in the mud like a kid should’.” 

“Sounds like something she’d say.” Barry chuckled. “Redd here got the lucky draw. He just has to...basically do retail for a few days?”

Redd shrugged, then nodded. He held up a phone that showed a coffee shop in it.

“You gotta talk to sell coffee.” Martin said as he leaned back on his bag.

Redd shook his head as he wagged his finger back and forth.

“Don’t sass me.” Martin said with a play frown. The other two chuckled at that. “I’d like to see you sell me coffee with no words.”

The bell rang and the four boys groaned and got up at various speeds, Martin being last to stand of course. “See you losers at cross?”

“Says the loser.” Barry chuckled as he headed off. “Later.”

Redd made a peace sign.

“See ya.” Paul said lastly, still having no idea of what to do. There really was very little of an idea to do.

It was a few more weeks before Ms. Bitch-well Ms. Blanc started to lector that in two weeks they either needed to put in essay forms or start filling out logs of the activity. Paul still had no idea of what to do for an activity. He had started a very, very rough draft for an essay. He chose to talk about constellations since they were in space and a lot to bullshit about with lore. He’d get to it soon. Soon being the day before it was due, he couldn’t lie to himself saying he’d do otherwise.

The following cross country practice had the four boys together they of course stayed near each other. They usually stayed in the fast part of the middle.

“So, how is being a dancer?” Martin chuckled as they waited at a red light.

“I am not meant to bend like that.” Barry frowned. “I knew I’d be sore, but my back hurts like hell.”

“Already started your logs?” Paul raised an eyebrow. “How many hours you got in?”

“Five more or less. I’d rather do this first so I won’t be extra tired for track.” Barry shook his head. The eassy be easy. Just gotta do like the history of ballet and all.” 

“Fair. Redd? Essay?” Redd shook his head. “Logs?” Martin frowned as Redd shook his head.

“Don’t make me look like the good student of us. Redd don’t tell me you’re following these two-Excuse me, that's just rude.” Martin’s frown deepened. 

Redd smirked as he was flipping Martin off. He slowly moved his other hand up, now flipping him off with both hands and slowly moving them in circles.

“It's green, lets go.”

After a few blocks they were stuck at a different red. “How about you Paul?”

“Technically I have an essay.” Paul frowned hearing Martin snort. “Well what have you done? Got mud in your hair yet?”

“Fuck no. I have an essay. “

“ ‘Bout what? Pigs?” Barry chuckled.

“No. Because she wants me to get ‘muddy’ I’m doing compost.”

“Really?” Barry and Paul said at the same time.

“What?” Martin frowned.

“You writing about compost?”

“Yes.” Martin wrinkled his nose. “Got four pages about compost.”

“How the fuck do you have-.”

“Green.” Paul interrupted Barry as they headed. There weren't any more stops and they couldn’t run too close to not have they’re couch get ideas. Redd was the fastest this time. Martin was always the last one, since he never wanted to ruin his hair in the wind.

“Perfect day, bois.” Martin grinned as he wrapped his arms around Paul and Redd. “Now let’s get some food.”

“Only if you don’t choose. The last health food place you chose made me do awful things to my toilet.”

“TMI Barry.” Martin frowned. “Side I think it’s Redd’s turn.”

Redd perked and made a small humming noise before pulling out his phone.

“Here comes Mom with the coupons.” 

Redd stuck his tongue out at Martin before showing his phone for a facebook post of a local coffee shop, buy one-get one half off drink. The all day breakfast sandwiches and croissants were on a similar deal.

“Dope let’s go. Barry should shower first, he reeks.”

“At least my hair still looks good.”

“Now listen here you-.”

The two bickered all the way to the coffee shop. So the four boys were now sitting at the coffee shop. Barry and Martin were talking about how many pages one can write about compost before Redd poked Paul’s shoulder.

“Hm?” Paul hummed with a mouthful of croissant. He got up when Redd prompted.

The boy walked over to the wall full of business cards, babysitting jobs, and various local events. Redd pointed to one near the top.

“Science fair?” Paul got on his toes to try to get it. Redd got it easy and lowered it for him.

“I had it.” Paul snatched it, making Redd make almost a chuckle.

Paul frowned lightly as he took a drink. It was the closest thing to an activity he had found. There was no reason not to see what it was about. He didn’t have to win, he just had to do something. 

The boys spent a good few more hours in the shop. All knew the friendship was more important than any form of school work. The only thing more important than friendship was not betting beat to death by thier parents. So as each one’s time went up they group split for the night. Redd was the last to give him a peace sign before heading out to get picked up by his brother. Paul still had the flyer at the table. There was no reason not to. It would be easy, and he had no other options. It also seemed very easy to bail if somehow something better came up. Soon he texted the number and got a spot.

After a few days he was told he had to send a photo of a loose idea for a project with them and something of the project in it. So they could lock spots with people with similar projects. So Paul took a can of black spray paint, some plates, white paint, and his little sister and had her make something with space and the plates. When she gave him they had far too much glitter, but easily the bigger dipper, orion, and other common ones. He tied them on strings and had his sister take enough photos that he wasn’t looking like an idiot. That may have taken over twenty photos. 

It was the following riday when they got an updated layout. Apparently it had a group of twenty kids. He scrolled down seeing everyone. You had volcanos, gravity, some nerd trying way too hard, constellations, another volcano, rocks, plant cells, dear god another volcano... wait. 

He scrolled back up to see the nerd. Too far.

He scrolled down again and saw a different kid with constellations. His was on a tri board currently, it was backed with leds with constellations he had never heard of. There was also something... a jar? It looked like it had foil in it. It was overall better than his. It lit up for god sake. He saw the entry date just below. It was after Paul himself entered. He then looked at the guy. He looked skinny, like he didn’t sleep enough, an awful dark undercut, and most importantly a loser. A stupid loser with a stupid cool jean jacket.

Why would you take a subject someone else had? Space is so big you could do...something else. Anything else. Like volcanos.

He didn’t need to win the fair for his project.

But god for some reason he needed to beat this guy.


End file.
